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Encyclopedia of Geropsychology pp 737–744Cite as

Eldercare and Work

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Synonyms

Elder care; Informal care; Parent care

Definition

Eldercare is informal and unpaid care provided by family and friends that includes meeting a variety of physical, emotional, household, and financial needs. Caregiving can be divided into two broad categories: hands-on activities, such as feeding, transporting, and dispensing medication, and managerial activities, such as planning, coordinating, and supervising formal care provided by others (Rosenthal et al. 2007). Care recipients may live in their own homes with their families or in residential facilities such as assisted living communities, nursing homes, or sheltered housing schemes.

Introduction

As populations age around the world, an increasing number of adults are working and caring for elders at the same time. In England and Wales, 11.9% of the female population and 9% of the male population provide some level of unpaid care with as many as 1.2% of the female population and 1% of the male population providing 50 h or...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA, USA

    Lisa Calvano

  2. London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK

    Josie Dixon

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  1. Lisa Calvano
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  2. Josie Dixon
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Correspondence to Lisa Calvano .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Nancy A. Pachana

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Calvano, L., Dixon, J. (2017). Eldercare and Work. In: Pachana, N.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-082-7_283

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